Cartoon of the day. (Swine flu panic edition.)

Photo of the day. (Swine flu edition.)

More where that came from.

Keep it classy Florida.

Via Wonkette comes this “classy” new “vanity plate.” Jesus hanging on the cross with an orange behind him.  Sweet!

Cynicism watch.

The definition of cynicism is:

And this NY Post column comes close to being shown as the dictionary example.  Maybe I just don’t want to believe this could be true.

But there is something disturbing about the collective rejection-embrace-elevation of Susan Boyle. There is the element of self-congratulation in the viral spread of this link around the Web, the idea that we, the secondary viewers, the judges of those who are judging, are far more evolved. There is the clip itself, suspiciously ready-made for online consumption: A 7-minute movie, slick and pithy in its perfect execution of the underdog narrative. (That something like “Rocky” took two hours to tell now seems antediluvian.) There is the classic David vs. Goliath subplot, the primal satisfaction of seeing the bully (Cowell) slain by such a seemingly inferior force. And there is the profound desire for this entire thing to be authentic, which in and of itself suggests that it probably isn’t. Not since P.T. Barnum has there been a show business master of the trompe l’oeil like Simon Cowell.

Pet peeves.

This one bugs the heck out of me.

Thanks to Ellie.

The hills are alive.

Well at least the Antwerp Central Train Station.  To me there is something both infectious and spiritual about this.

Pay to pray.

You pay so you don’t have to pray. From Yahoo News:

Information Age Prayer is a site that charges you a monthly fee to say prayers for you. A typical charge is $4.95 per month to say three prayers specified by you each day.

“We use state of the art text to speech synthesizers to voice each prayer at a volume and speed equivalent to typical person praying,” the company states. “Each prayer is voiced individually, with the name of the subscriber displayed on screen.”

Prices, however, are dictated by the length of the prayer. As noted in the Information Age Prayer FAQ, “A discounted prayer will cost less than other prayers of similar length.”

Photo of the Day. (Two for the price of one edition.)

I am open to just about anything in the way of fashion design, although some of it I would never wear or be seen with anyone who was wearing it.  However, I think this surrealistic hat by Isaac Misrahi is a perfect way to get two for the price of one (a hat and a bag for your stuff).

Sunday Google.

Google your first name and “needs” and see what the results are.  Here are my top 10 results.  Do I sense a theme here?

1.  Clyde needs to address issues.

2.  Clyde needs a road bike.

3.  Clyde needs donations.

4.  Clyde needs triathlon bike advise.

5.  Clyde needs a loving home.

6.  Clyde needs a Bonnie.

7.  Clyde needs a home or rescue.

8.  Clyde needs this wing.

9.  Clyde needs your dollars.

10. Clyde needs love too.

Favorite Oscar Moment II.

Favorite Oscar Moment.

Appropriate for today.

The Old Fart’s Sunday Recommendations.

• Cathleen Falsani has interviewed faith leaders and learned what they tell people who are suffering through this current economic hard time.
• A few summers ago (wow, it was 2001 immediately before 9-11) the media circus focused on the murder of Chandra Levy and the possible involvement of then Congressman Gary Condit.  Here’s an update from which the most interesting point to me is that her family is opposed to the death penalty for her killer if he is convicted. Robert Levy said he and his wife, Susan, were not told the identity of the person to be arrested “but we all know who it is.” He would not elaborate but said they would favor a life sentence for the killer.
• David Blankenhorn and Jonathan Rauch, coming from two different points of view, propose an interesting compromise on the issue of gay marriage.  I’m not sure how I feel about this after only a first reading, but it’s a proposal worth exploring.
• And, if you’ve been living under a rock, just a reminder that tonight is the 81st annual Academy Awards from down the street in Hollywood.  I usually miss most of the show but tonight am heading out to a party at friends which should be fun. Enjoy but better yet, see some of the movies worth seeing–Doubt, Frost/Nixon, Frozen River and Milk were my favorites.

One Man’s Battle for Purity.

Enter with caution and a sense of humor.

From Jesus General.

The Old Fart’s Wednesday Recommendations.

After a couple of days where I was doing other things, mostly cooking, I’m back with a few recommendations for you:

• MoDo on “Cheney and the Goat Devil.”
• Marc Ambinder on the shifting tone among potential GOP presidential candidates on the issue of support for gay civil unions/marriage.
• Lots of interesting editorials and op-eds on bipartisanship and on the GOP just saying no. Thomas Frank on the media obsession with bipartisanship, James Morone on a historical picture of bipartisanship, and even Bush’s former speech writer, Michael Gerson thinks the GOP needs to move from its “No” posture.
• Thanks but no thanks for that senator from Chicago. As Ta-Nehisi Coates writes, “you have your black senator now, isn’t he a dandy.”
• A great article in The Atlantic on how the current economic crash will reshape America. It’s long so take the time to read it and weep (or not).
• Cathleen Falsani on is A-Rod forgivable.
• Paul Martin posts a new creed for the “Church of the Free Market.” All I have to add to that is, “Amen!.”
• And, finally, an interesting blog post on “Amish Hackers” by Kevin Kelly. Having grown up not too far from Amish Country in Pennsylvania, I found it an interesting read.

Movies to watch for.

Yesterday I saw the overrated “Slumdog Millionaire,” finally.  But, rather than talk about how I wasn’t taken with either the poverty of Mumbai or the hope of the TV game show, I want to point you to two previews I saw that seem like movies to keep an eye out for.

First was “American Violet,” which is based on real events and is the story of Dee Roberts and her encounter with “the law” and being falsely accused of a drug violation. Rather than take a plea that would brand her a felon forever, Dee takes on the powerful DA and changes the Texas justice system.

The second one was “The Soloist,” with Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr., about a cellist who becomes homeless. I first found out about this one as a client, the newly formed Corona Symphony Orchestra, is making its plans for joining other symphony orchestras around the country to help feed the hungry. The preview looks like it will be worth watching.

I have no idea if either will be good but at least I have something to look forward to in my Saturday morning movie viewing. Both seem to deal with issues that are on the top of my awareness.

The Old Fart’s Sunday Recommendation.

• Frank Rich on the GOP’s early declaration of the death of the Obama presidency. “…Republicans are isolated in that parallel universe and believe all the noise in its echo chamber, they are now as out of touch with reality as the “inevitable” Clinton campaign was before it got clobbered in Iowa. The G.O.P. doesn’t recognize that it emerged from the stimulus battle even worse off than when it started.”
• Michael Moore’s next target–bankers.
• A win for equal rights in Utah as their GOP governor endorses civil unions and gay adoption. It won’t change their legislative action but it sure points to the way the wind is blowing on this issue.
• I missed this one yesterday but it’s worth pointing you to, as the NY Times editorial writers hit the nail on the head regarding the California Prison System and what needs to be done. “Like many states, California is putting too many people behind bars for too long, and it doesn’t have the money to build more facilities. Instead of appealing, as it has vowed to do, California should get to work overhauling its misguided incarceration policies. [.....] A large number of California prisoners are behind bars for technical parole violations. Others are in for minor, nonviolent crimes. Inmates like those can and should be released, and given help to reintegrate into society. The state’s limited prison space should be used for people who truly need to be there. It is not ideal when a court has to intervene so directly in managing prisons. But California has been unwilling, on its own, to run a prison system that complies with the Constitution.”
• And, from earlier in the week, the NY Times delves into the serious art of updating your Facebook status.

Can I go, please?

OK, somebody, anybody get me an invitation. I’ve been a fan of Stevie Wonder forever. I’ll never forget the afternoon, about 15 years ago while having lunch with a group of volunteers for a MOCA benefit auction at the Beverly Hills Hotel, that Stevie took to the piano in the room and sang a couple of songs.  It was a highlight of my 26 years in LA.

Photo of the Day II. (Deflated love edition.)

Photo of the Day. (Hard heart edition?)

The Old Fart’s Saturday Recommendations.

• Dick Cavett on the time (October 14, 1981) when, two of my favorite writers, John Updike and John Cheever paid him a visit on his talk show.
• A former religious right leader, Frank Schaeffer, writes an open letter to President Obama.
• Strange bedfellows, the religious right and the Christian left, join forces to provide advice to Obama on reducing poverty.  This is a good thing.
• What Hookers Do on Valentine’s Day.
• And, a bit of reading for the occasion, Money Can’t Buy You Love.